PRAYERS IN VILLEFRANCHE (Full Orchestra) (Gr.2.5)
For Full Orchestra
Duration Approximately 3:00
Grade 2.5
FULL SCORE / 2 1 1 2 (+Bass) Alto (2), Tenor, Bari / 2 1 2 1 1 / Timp Perc (2) Strings Harp
Our dear friends Helene & Arnaud live in an adorable village northwest of Lyon called Villefrance-sur-Saône. It is beyond idyllic. Natalie & I make an effort to wander its ancient streets whenever we're invited to visit. In the summer of 2016, we made our way to the cathedral de Notre Dame Des Calades, and admired it's incredible beauty and stillness. To our good fortune, there was a pair of worshipers singing a gorgeous polyphonic chant, their voices reverberating through the otherwise empty church. I captured a few seconds on my phone before they finished, and while I was unable to identify the original melody, it has haunted me continuously.
PRAYERS IN VILLEFRANCHE for full orchestra relives that sanctified moment, dislocated from time and space. It is dedicated to Helene & Arnaud, for their incredible hospitality and friendship.